Fish tape leader



April 18, 1961 RANEY HAL 2,980,398

FISH TAPE LEADER Filed Feb. 13, 1957 INVENTORS WILL/AM f. FA/VEYAND BY N/LANJ. 5/55/557- A TTOPNEYS.

United States Patent FISH TAPE LEADER William E. Raney, 20080 Frazier Drive, Rocky River, and Milan J. Siebert, 5617 Onaway Oval, Parma, Ohio Filed Feb. 13, 1957, Ser. No. 649,023

1 Claim. (Cl. 254-134.3)

The present invention relates generally, as indicated, to a fish tape leader which is adapted to constitute the terminal end portion of a length of fish tape or what is sometimes referred to as a snake.

In the pulling of electrical conductors or cables into conduits it is first required to insert through the conduit a length of fish tape whereby the conductors or cable may be secured to the terminal end of the fish tape and then the latter is pulled out of the conduit to thereby draw the conductors or cable into and through the conduit. The feeding of the fish tape under compression into the conduit and then the pulling of the tape in the opposite direction under tension may be done manually or may be accomplished through the use of a power driven fish tape reel such as, for example, is disclosed in the Pat. Nos. 2,556,484 and 2,718,376, granted June 12, 1951, and September 20, 1955, respectively, to William E. Raney.

It is also common practice to mount on the end of the fish tape a so-called fish tape bulb which usually is of generally cylindrical form with rounded ends to guide the fish tape through the conduit and through elbow fittings and curves in the conduit. As an example of a fish tape bulb, reference may be had to the Robert A. Barth Pat. No. 2,727,720, granted December 20, 1955.

Because of the large tensile stresses imposed on the fish tape when it is being used to pull conductors or cable into a conduit the fish tape is usually fabricated from tempered steel and usually is of rectangular cross section for strength and lateral flexibility. A commonly used fish tape is of cross section size approximately 5 x A".

However, such tape, M x A" for example, is relatively stifi over short lengths thereof and therefore it is rather diificult, when longitudinally feeding the tape into a conduit, to commence the curving of the terminal end as when the end of the fish tape encounters a relatively sharp curve in the conduit. Likewise, twisting of the end 7 portion of such tape is difiicult to start, as when the tape is fed into a conduit that has successive curves dififerent planes.

With the foregoing in'mind, it is one principal object of this invention to provide a fish tape leader which provides a terminal end portion on a length of fish tape which is of progressively increasing flexibility toward the end to facilitate the starting of the curving and twisting of the Fig. 2 is a transverse cross section view taken substantially along the line 2'-2 of Figs. 1 and 3 through the coupling sleeve at which the fish tape leader and fish tape are secured together;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross section view through the coupling sleeve, such section having been taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing how the fish tape leader is capable of following curves in the conduit and of twisting as curves in different planes are encountered.

In the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, the fish tape leader 1 for use with, for example, ,4 x A" fish tape 2, is preferably about 20" long and is made of tempered steel and is rendered of progressively increasing flexibility from one end toward the other by progressively reducing the thickness from about 4 at one end to about 1 at the other end, while maintaining the width constant at about A". However, it is to be understood that the width of the leader l'may be progressively decreased instead of the thickness or that both the width and thickness may be decreased from one end toward the other to provide for such increased flexibility at and adjacent the terminal end.

The thin or most fiexible end of said fish tape leader 1 has secured thereto, as by brazing, welding or other wellknown expedient, a fish tape bulb 3 which is preferably of egg-shape or generally conical shape as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 with a rounded end. By way of example, such bulb 3 may be of A diameter at its large endend and about long.

Welded, brazed or otherwise secured to the thick end of the fish tape leader 1 is a coupling sleeve 4 forming an aperture 5 into which the terminal end portion of the fish tape 2 is adapted to be inserted in longitudinal alignment with said leader 1 and in overlapping relation thereto, said coupling sleeve 4, opposite the juxtapositioned ends of the fish tape 2 and leader 1 being formed with a threaded opening through the wall thereof in which a setscrew 6 is engaged. As apparent, when the setscrew 6 is tightened, the juxtaposed, overlapping end portions of the fish tape 2 and leader 1 are firmly clamped together to resist longitudinal slipping when compres sive force is applied on the fish tape 2 and leader 1 as they are fed into a conduit. The outer end of the setscrew 6 may be approximately flush or inset with respect to the outer surface of sleeve 4 so as not to obstruct movement through the conduit.

fish tape as the tape with such leader is longitudinally fed into conduit having bends or curves.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fish tape leader that is detachable from the fish tape I proper so that the leader may be removed when it is desired to draw many electric conductors or a heavy cable into the conduit, or when the conduit has numerous bends, such conditions imposing large tensile loads on the tape.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the aecomplishment'of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the It can now be seen that as the fish tape 2 with the, leader 1 secured thereto is fed into a conduit, the ex- Likewise, because of the progressively increasing flexibility of the leader 1 from its. tape attached end to its free. end, the free end iscapable of readily passing through successive curves or elbows that are disposed in angularly related planes by reason of its capability of being readily twisted as required when confronting such I successive curves. As evident, when there. are U- or. I s-shaped bends in the conduit no twisting of the leader or tape 2 results when successive bends are ina common plane. However, twisting is encountered when successive curves are in difierent planes, the most severe condition being encountered when such: curves are in planes perpendicular to each other. :It fcan. ;be':1seen that a x A" fish tape (without t the;'1eader"1 attached thereto) would be extremely diflicult to feed through a conduit that has such curves in difierentfplanes owing to the difliculty in starting the twisting over" a relatively short length of the fish tape from one curve 'toithe' next..; "i

Als'o,difliculty is encountered (without thepresent invention) in starting the CUIViBglOfLthEQCHdIOfthe. fish tape 2 itself as it encounters a short'radius curive inthe conduit, since it is then attempted to-Zbend grtcurv'et'a shortstraight length of the fishtape2': if" 21 j It has been found that the presentifish tape-leader 11 greatly facilitates the longitudinalfeedipgrin of fish-tape 2 through a conduit that has curves'rthereingiand'cspecially a conduit that has successive-curveslyingin'angm larly related planes. The increased j flexibility; otiithe leader 1 toward its free end facilitates: theystarting' 'of the bending or twisting with substantially less 'endwise compressive force on the tape 2 than required when the leader 1 is omitted. Having thus started'fthebend or twist theitapeiz readily follows without excessive compressive load thereonb 7 Although in the foregoing example reference has been particularly made to a fish tape ,4 x it is, to be understood that the principles, of the invention may be 7 equally .well applied to other sizes' of fish tape; Thus, 30

for thetmost commonly used fish tape which isj.060" x Va' the fish tape'leader may be ofyl/s" width and of progressively tapering thickness from about $1 to about $52" or less. Similarly, such fish tape leader may be of V progressively decreasingwidth in additionto', or in lieu 5 of, the progressively decreasing thickness.

i 7 Mother modescof applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in the following claim, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention: 7 7 g r A fish tape leader comprising an elongated strip of flexible material of rectangular, cross-section, a coupling sleeve at one end of said strip comprising a short length right circular cylindrical tubular member having a circular longitudinal opening therethrough, said one end of said strip being welded therein, and a set screw threaded in said sleeve diametrically opposite said one end of said strip and adapted to clamp a fish tape against said one end ofsaid strip whereby said strip and fish tape are jutaxposcd and constitute a substantial linear continuationof each other, said strip being .of progressively increasing flexibility from said one end toward the other end to facilitate longitudinal feeding of said leader and of the fish tape adapted to'be clamped in said sleeve into a conduit having sharp bends 'therein, and a generally conically-shaped bulb on said other end, of said strip which initially confronts said sharp bends when said leader and such tape are thus longitudinally fed;

References Cited in the file of this patent g V VUNITEQD-TSTATESI PATENTS 1,593,185 Mc'Cafiirey July 20,1926 11,672,324 Kepler. i' V Jan. 5, 1928 1,751,415 McCafirey; Mar. 18,1930 1,946,037. Scott Feb. 6, 1934 1,978,957 Pardieck oct. 30, 1934 

